USU Opera Theatre

About USU Opera Theatre

USU Opera Theatre offers students the opportunity to participate in productions of the great works of classical opera and modern musical theatre every year under the direction of Prof. Dallas Aksoy. Our productions have a focus on teaching students the art of musical stagecraft – telling a story on stage through sight and song.

Utah State’s Opera Theatre has proven to be an excellent starting place for young singers, many of whom have gone on to further study at some of the nation's finest graduate schools and conservatories and then on to accomplished careers with prominent companies around the world. Direction by professionally-experienced faculty that are focused on student improvement provides a unique experience few university programs can match. Guest directors are also brought in from across the country to provide students with authentic, industry-standard production experiences which prepares them for future success as singing actors or teachers.

Repertoire is carefully selected each year, tailored to our students’ educational benefit, and has consisted of Baroque/Classical/Romantic/20th-century opera, contemporary musical theatre, and creative programs of opera/musical theatre scenes. Opera scholarships are also available, providing additional performing opportunities and training as part of the Marie Eccles Caine-Russell Family Opera Outreach Quartet.

All interested students are welcome to be involved, regardless of major. Register for MUSC 5600 Opera Theatre Production or contact Prof. Dallas Aksoy for more information!

Productions

USU Opera Theatre is pleased to announce the following productions for the 2024-2025 year. You can find tickets for these and other Music Department productions at our online Ticket Office.

Purchase Tickets for Upcoming Productions

The Toxic Avenger

Based on the cult film, The Toxic Avenger, by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro, is a rock musical featuring a nerd-turned-mutant-superhero out to win the girl of his dreams (a blind librarian) and stop his home state of New Jersey from turning into even more of a toxic wasteland than it already is.

This award-winning macabre comedy is a perfect way to have an extra scary Halloween! Performed by USU voice and orchestra students in the haunted Caine Lyric Theatre, Oct. 28-31, 7:30pm. Join us if you dare...!

The Rape of Lucretia

The chamber opera The Rape of Lucretia by English composer Benjamin Britten narrates the tragic mytho-historical story of the faithful Lucretia and the events leading to her assault by Prince Tarquinius, the errant son of a pre-Republic Roman tyrant.

A masterpiece of the operatic literature, this piece was instrumental in ushering in a new golden age of English opera in the mid-20th century. Performed by USU voice and orchestra students in a semi-staged format in the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall, Jan. 17, 7:30pm and Jan. 19, 4:00pm.

Opera Outreach Quartet

Thanks to the generosity of the Marie Eccles Caine-Russell Family, Utah State Opera is able to offer four scholarships for outstanding voice performance majors to be part of the USU Opera Outreach Quartet. As their primary responsibility, the Quartet prepares and presents an educational and entertaining thirty-minute opera or musical at high schools throughout the Intermountain West. Recipients for this prestigious award are announced each fall.

Members of the 2023-2024 USU Opera Outreach Quartet

Kate Haycock

Kate Haycock is a Junior Vocal Performance Major at Utah State University. She grew up in Southern Idaho and has been on stage from a young age. Her favorite roles include Marian Paroo (The Music Man), Ariel (The Little Mermaid) and most recently, Adina in Utah State Opera’s production of The Elixir of Love. In her free time, she loves making chocolate chip cookies and going on hikes with her husband. She hopes to share her love of music, especially opera, by continuing to perform for as long as she can!

 

Kate Haycock
Kate Haycock
 

 

headshot of Holden Smith
Holden Smith
 

Holden Smith

Holden Smith, a tenor from Layton, UT, is a junior at Utah State University majoring in Music - Vocal Performance, studying under Thomas Glenn. He has had the privilege of performing in renowned theaters across northern Utah, including the Hale Center Theater in Sandy, CenterPoint Legacy Theater, and The Grand Theater in Salt Lake City. At The Grand Theater, he starred in two world-premiere rock musicals with music by Graham Russell of Air Supply: A Wall Apart and Dead Certain. At USU, Holden has recently been seen as Junius in The Rape of Lucretia (2025) and Dimitry in Anastasia (2023).

Allison Johnson

Allison Johnson is a Junior in the Choral Education Program. Allison has loved teaching and performing music for as long as she has been able to. She was in the cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at seven years old, and the cast of The Music Man at eight years old. She has participated in the USU Opera program since the spring of 2023, in notable roles such as Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore and Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd. Allison continues to enjoy performing while pursuing her teaching degree, hoping to eventually teach junior high choir along with teaching private lessons. She delights in finding ways to share her passion with others while attending USU, including working with professors in TA and UTF roles, attending conferences, and recently accepting the role of president of the USU chapter of ACDA.

 

Allison Johnson
Allison Johnson
 

 

Caden Webb
Caden Webb
 

Caden Webb

Originally from Lodi, California, Caden Webb, Baritone, is a Senior in the Vocal Performance program at Utah State University. He has played Vladimir Popov in Anastasia and Belcore in L’elisir d’amore at Utah State University. He has also performed as a principle role all over the country at summer programs such as Harrower Summer Opera Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia and Chicago Summer Opera in Chicago, Illinois. Caden has also performed internationally as the title role in Don Giovanni with Prague Summer Nights in the Czech Republic. In his spare time, Caden loves to build cosplay armor and props, as well as spending time with his colleagues. Caden currently studies with Thomas Glenn and has previously studied with Daniel Ebbers at the University of the Pacific and Dr. Cindy Dewey at Utah State University.

Highlights from Past Productions

Ghost Quartet - Spring 2022

Director: Dallas Aksoy
Scenic/Costume Designer: Dennis Hassan
Lighting Design: Hannah Whorton
Photographer: Anthony Messler
Cast/Orchestra pictured: Taylor Stucki, Patrice Densley, Gideon Benge, Hayden Höglund, Jeremy Adriano, Megan Richards, Becca Palmer

Uncovered - Spring 2022

Orpheus in the Underworld - Spring 2021

Director/Scenic Designer: Dallas Aksoy
Costume Designer: Jordan Draper
Choreographer: Stephanie White
Photographer: Anthony Messler
Cast pictured: Kristen Fairbourn, Brianna Skeen, Kaylee Borchert, Zack Grob, Tanner Pruett, Layton Loucks, Demetria Torowus, Maribelle Taylor, Joshua Rogers, Hayden Höglund, Collin Crook

L'incoronazione di Poppea - Fall 2020

Director: Stefan Espinosa
Scenic Designers: Dennis Hassan, Hannah Whorton
Costumes Designer: Alex Heder
Videographers: Michael Palmer, Anthony Messler
Photographer: Dallas Aksoy
Cast pictured: Patrice Densley, Josh Roy, Hayden Höglund, Kaylyn Baldwin, Tanner Pruett, Danielle Casós, Rachel Grob, Elisabeth Kinghorn, Zack Grob, Abbigayle Dennis, Lauren Tougas, Joshua Rogers

Dido & Aeneas - Spring 2018

Director/Choreographer: Nate Dryden
Scenic/Costume Designer: Dennis Hassan, Sara Shouse
Lighting Designer: Bruce Duerden
Photographer: Andrew McAllister
Cast pictured: Benjamin Krutsch, Becca Keel, Carly Schaub, Peter Larsen, Megan Warburton, Karley Garrett, Andrew Taylor, Nathan Scott, Sariah Seare, Danielle Casós, Amanda Strasbourg, Rachel Grob, Lauren McCurdy, Abbigayle Dennis, Allison Klippel

La finta giardiniera - Spring 2017

Director: Daniel Helfgot
Scenic/Costume Designer: Dennis Hassan
Wig/Makeup Designer: Sara Shouse
Lighting Designer: Keith Carson
Photographer: Andrew McAllister
Cast pictured: Benjamin Krutsch, Rebecca Soelberg, Andrew Taylor, Nicole Vander Does, Emily Cottam, Amanda Strasbourg, Brad Summers